Greece’s anti-austerity party Syriza won Sunday’s general election with 36.3% of votes, putting the country on a potential collision course with the European Union over its 240 billion euro bailout package. Party leader Alexis Tsipras said that, “The verdict of the Greek people renders the troika the IMF, the EU Commission, and European Central Bank a thing of the past for our common European framework.”
The results, with a favored Syriza winning with even a larger share of seats in Pariament, sent an immediate shock through both political and financial channels in Europe. The euro hit an 11-year low Monday morning, although Syriza insists that a “Grexit” (ie, Greece leaving the single currency) is not on the cards. Newspapers across the continent were all Greek on Monday morning:
GREECE
“Syriza 36.3% – Greece turns a page”
“New scenery with Syriza victory”
“Victory. Heavy like history”
“Rerouting Greece”
GERMANY
“Historic shift to the left in Greece”
“The new face of Europe”
FRANCE:
“Greece: Full steam left!”
“What an example!”
ITALY:
“Tspiras’ triumph is an EU earthquake that will change everything”
SPAIN:
“Syriza’s victory will bring a tumultuous period in Europe”
PORTUGAL:
“Greece turns the page on austerity and leaving Europe to take stock”
UK:
